Delhi High Court asks govt. to provide job to acid attack victim

NEW DELHI: For the first time Delhi high court asks the government of Delhi to provide job to a 29-year-old acid attack victim on grounds of sympathy.

The victim, Renu Sharma, was 19 years old when an occupant of her family house threw acid on her face in Delhi’s Shahdara area. Renu had asked the man to vacate his room.

Due to the acid attack on her face, she left with blind eyes and made her dependent on stagnant medical treatment. The accused attacker was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Her father’s income as a Group D employee in the Railways is inadequate to support the rising medical expenditure and hence, Renu decided to move the court for compensation, said her advocate Kamlesh Kumar Mishra.

After the 10 years of this incident, which happened on February 15, 2006. She has gone through 15 surgeries, but she received only Rs 3 lakh from the government as compensation amount, an amount which she says is “grossly inadequate”.

The Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme, 2015, mandates an immediate help of Rs 3 lakh to acid attack victims when such matters are brought to the notice of Delhi State Legal Service Authority (DSLSA).

It grants upper limit of Rs 7 lakh for such help. DSLSA also provides free legal assistance for impoverished citizens.

Justice Manmohan said the ceiling of expenditure of Rs 7 lakh on medical treatment may be “arbitrary and unreasonable” as it might not be sufficient in some cases.

“The respondents (government) cannot take the stand that they would not spend more than the ceiling amount,” the judge said adding the “State owes a duty to provide free medical treatment to acid attack victims”.

Justice Manmohan also clarify that the job given to Renu will be based on her educational qualification and medical status.

Noting that Renu will require medical treatment on a regular basis, The high court directed Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital to provide free treatment to her, the cost of which will be borne by the city government.

The court also directed the government to repay her medical bills borne till date, after they are checked by an officer.